Monty Python Comes to BBC America

'Monty Python's Flying Circus'

'Monty Python's Flying Circus'

Zap2It.com

The legendary comedy troupe Monty Python will mount a new campaign on American shores starting on Memorial Day.

BBC America has acquired the rights to all four seasons of "Monty Python's Flying Circus" -- plus a pair of specials the troupe did for West German television -- and will begin airing them in a 10-hour marathon on Monday, May 26. The show is one of a handful of new comedy properties coming to the cable network.

Season three of "The Graham Norton Show" will also be making its U.S. premiere in the spring, along with the sitcom "Not Going Out," starring comedian Lee Mack. Norton's show, featuring guests like Courtney Love, John Waters, Elle McPherson and Rufus Wainwright, premieres Saturday, April 26, and "Not Going Out" debuts Friday, May 2.

The "Flying Circus" episodes have been digitally remastered, allowing fans of the Cheese Shop, "How Not to Be Seen" and Spam a fresh look at the classic sketch series. It also includes the lesser-seen pair of "Fliegender Zirkus" West German TV specials, including one in which Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, John Cleese, Terry Jones and Michael Palin performed new sketches in phonetic German.

The show is making its BBC America debut. PBS was a long-time home for the show in previous years, and A&E Home Video has released several collections.